1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to torque-applying tools, particularly including manually-operated ratchet wrenches and other devices for rotating threaded fasteners.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous tools adapted to rotatably drive threaded fasteners and workpieces, such as screws, bolts, nuts and the like, have been developed in the past. These prior tools include common screwdrivers, wrenches, nut drivers, adjustable wrenches, socket wrenches, and ratchet wrenches, to name a few. Particularly important among them are ratchet wrenches, which include a typical square cross-section drive post connected to a ratchet mechanism carried within a housing which may be hemispherically shaped to form a handle, or from which a handle with, typically, a generally cylindrical or rectangular cross-section may project radially. A socket selected from a socket set having various socket openings sized to receive differently dimensioned bolt heads or nuts is then removably secured on the drive post.
Small, hand-held wrenches exist which may be used to tighten or loosen a workpiece. Some such wrenches are even small enough to be carried in a user's pocket. However, due to the relatively small size, the user often cannot apply sufficient torque, since no lever arm or handle is formed on the wrench to get mechanical advantage.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a small, hand-held tool, particularly one that can be carried in a user's pocket, which may be used to quickly tighten or loosen a fastener or other workpiece, but also provide sufficient torque to loosen or tighten a workpiece when the operation requires additional mechanical advantage.